A lil bit of nothing much

I have been enjoying this thing called not working a lot. Not sure I want a job again really but seeing as I don't have a thing called mum and dads to go crash at when I run out of money I guess I need one eventually :( man being a grown up can suck sometimes lol. 

Have explored a lil and read a lot. Finished the first game of thrones book on Monday morning and have already read two other books (it's Tuesday evening now hehe), work definitely has been getting in the way of me doing what I love :) 

Went to Manchester on Thursday with Zan. We went to quite a few cool places like the MOSI (museum of science and industry) which is where her and Noel got married, it's a very cool place with a train and heaps of other fun stuff. Then we went to a old as library, The John Rylands Library, also mega cool and has books that are way old, and some cool old jewelry as well. We then shopped for a bit and wandered to the town hall (photo below) and the Central Library that has a reading room which reminded me of the Council Chambers (lol) and a awesome music library, there were books and CDs and DVDs and sheet music you could borrow and a couple pianos you could play in the library :)

We then met her cousin and went for dinner at a place called Tea 4/2 and I could eat everything on the menu (actually could order anything including any dessert). Zan and I ended up having the 5 course dinner as it was only £25, so much food and all of it super yum. We basically rolled to the train station to get home hehe. 

On Friday we went to Sheffield to have a look around, I plan to go back there this week to go shopping and get some photos of the old church, though to be honest the old buildings are already losing some of their awesomeness as am seeing so many. 

Saturday was Eurovision lol we had a BBQ then opened the alcohol to sit back and enjoy the craziness that is Eurovision. I am def a fan and my fav song won (Sweden) so I'm happy :)

Today Noel, his mum (who is visiting for a couple of days) and I went to Chatsworth to go for a walk through the grounds and see the house. The house is massive and gorgeous as and was the star (Pemberley aka Mr Darcy's house) in Pride and Prejudice, unfortunately not in my P&P but in the movie version starring Keira Knightly but still Pemberley is Pemberley :)

Manchester Town Hall

My dessert at Tea 4/2 - double chocolate something with caramel popcorn on top :)

Photos of Chatsworth House and grounds

Dronfield

I went out exploring the local town of Dronfield this morning. A few things that I noticed was that there were no verandahs over the shops, this I had been warned about but it still seemed strange. Was kinda hard to tell what shop was what as well as most did not have anything outside on display and you had to peer in the windows to have a look. Also there doesn't seem to be any old dunger cars, not sure if it's the area I'm in or what but here Sparts would not fit in :( and to me he's a pretty awesome car, prob the nicest I've owned lol. Plus all the houses look the same, am very glad I have a good sense of direction else I think it would be easy to get lost. Noel said that you wouldn't be able to get a mortgage to build a wooden house here when I asked why they were all brick, it seems weird to me but to him a wooden house seemed strange. 

Went to one of the supermarkets and almost jumped for joy when I saw the gluten free range, haha that alone almost makes me never want to go back to NZ but I know I'll miss it soon enough so will be back. Bought me a couple of chocolate cupcakes and they were pretty much inhaled they tasted that good :)

Got me a UK SIM card for my phone and it works so no need for me to spend money on a UK phone which I'm glad about. And yes when I went to buy a top up voucher I asked for a $20 one not a £20 one lol. The guy serving me was nice about it and just smiled and corrected me lol :)

Checked out some second hand shops as well, so tempting to buy a bunch of new clothes and books and DVDs but then I remembered that I have to still travel and find a job so I left all the cool stuff behind :( am tempted to go back and get one dress if it's still there tho, it's a purple maxi dress that I am sure I would look amazing in :) hehe

This here's the Dronfield Library, a very nice library inside as well, small and cosy with very friendly staff

I also had a wander around the Parish Church of St John the Baptist, it was old and so pretty and random having so many graves that appeared to have no real order to them. The following photos are of the church and grounds. 

I've arrived, let the adventures begin :)

I have landed safely in the UK and made it to my friend Zan's place. It was a lovely drive through the Peak District to get there although there were no peaks by NZ standards just some hills haha Zan did warn me before we started the drive but I still expected to see some bigger hills. 

The flights were long (as expected) but in my last flight I was sitting next to a planner and thanks to Bridie I could hold a pretty good conversation with her lol. She's from Aussie but now lives in Wales working for a Council there. I think the last flight was the longest, in part cos I was ready to be there already and partly cos the GF meals weren't 100% GF so I was feeling pretty crappy. Not even sleeping could make me feel better :( dumb airlines. 

I am definitely considering coming home the old school way when the time comes. Atlst on a boat you can have a room and chill out and go for a wander, ok so it might take a few days (lots of few days really) longer but I think you'd be more relaxed and happy when you arrived. 

I am just spending today chilling out, currently reading my book on the couch, was reading it in bed before that and before that sleeping hehe. Tomorrow I might explore Dronfield (where I am staying) a bit, Noel has loaned me a map so I don't get lost. Zan has Thursday and Friday off so we can explore as well, plan is to go to Manchester on Thursday to check it out and there is a cafe there that has just opened and is being run by someone who is celiac so I can eat almost everything :) def looking forward to that. On Saturday we are hoping Noel will take us for a walk in the Peak District, he is training to be a volunteer ranger so knows the best walks. It is also the final of Eurovison on Saturday so we are having a BBQ and some drinks (drinking makes it better I understand lol).

Zan got me some bread and breakfast cereal and I am amazed by how yum it is. Sorry NZ but you are way behind the UK and I've only been here half a day. The GF bread here is soft and not stale :) so yum. Had my first peanut butter sandwich in years, no toasting of the bread required. The cereal was also super tasty :) and there is a takeaway pizza place here I can't wait to try that has been approved by Celiac UK as they make the GF pizzas in a separate area with a separate oven so no cross contamination like in NZ. 

I have vaguely started the job hunt but not really, found a website that is the Scottish version of Seek basically, cept this one also does online dating as well as jobs lol. Gotta love that they have combined the two :) oh and I can buy a house through them as well, maybe thats for when the job hunt and dating have worked out ok hehe

One chapter done, next about to start

The current chapter of my story is almost over, just a drive to Auckland and a last catch up with a couple mates then it's intermission time while I fly to the UK for the next chapter. Am super excited but a lil sad at all the goodbyes that I've had to say. 

What is real crazy is how little I am taking with me. For someone who likes to horde and have a bunch of choices this sure is going to be interesting. Lol Bridie is not impressed I have 6 hoodies but they fitted and they are all ones I need and love and couldn't leave behind haha. Only got 2 pairs of pants but hey who needs to have options with them :) hehe

I will keep you all posted with how things are going, obviously :) 

Remember to take care of yourself, I expect hugs from you all when I get back in a few years :) 

xoxox

Did you notice anything new?

For those of you that actually go onto my blog to read my updates I sure hope you have noticed some changes.... new title, new colour scheme, new margins (ok so that one you prob wouldn't have noticed and I spose I forgive you for it hehe).

Decided it was time for a change and as the Cape of Awesomeness is coming over to the UK with me I decided I would change my blog to be like it and this way when you don't get an update for a while it is the Cape of Awesomeness's fault not mine as its now the Cape of Awesomeness's blog to and it is likely that it's cos we are off doing some awesome :)

We have started our adventures with the always boring but always required sorting, packing and cleaning that is done before any great adventure.  There is still a fair amount to do but I still have 3.5 weeks and would hate to rush things and wear ourselves out :)

Pretty much dead now

So made it to the summit today :) with Doffy :)

Started with a semi simple hike up to Fanthams Peak and Syme Hut but then the clouds cleared from the summit and it looked not too bad and not to far away (we are insane, just repeating the obvious) and for some reason when one of us suggested that we climb to the top of the mountain the other one didn't say no that's a dumb idea. 

Mission getting to the summit with hideous as scoria and dodging snow but many slips and slides later we made it. Then headed down the other side as repeating tracks is so boring and last year we made a silly plan to go up and over then back round to car. 

10 hours 15 mins later we made it back to Spartacus :) so happy to see my baby again lol (Spartacus is my car if you didn't know). Long day but am sure when I stop hurting it will have been so worth it hehe :)

Big tree, a signpost and gravel roads

Saw the big Kauri Tane Mahuta today, is a pretty awesome tree really. And Kauri's are pretty good looking which helps :)

Also made it to the top of the world to the lighthouse and signpost. So many people there, tour buses and everything. Neither of us thought it would be that busy. Found Vancouver on the sign and said a hello to me in that direction. Figure it'll take a few months to travel over the oceans by which time I will hopefully be there :)

We then drove via the giant sand dunes on the way back, gravel road to get to them and they were also real busy, it was far too hot for either of us to want to get out and attempt to walk up them, no matter how good the view might have been. 

We also drove via 90 Mile Beach on way back but think we (I) took the wrong turnoff out of the 2 as we got the one with 7km of gravel road. Pretty bumpy ride and the beach was just a beach but still worth the trip I think. 

We made sure the big Kauri tree (yup that's what the sign called it so must be it's official name) was still there on the way back, it was :)

Road trip update

Had fun at the Waipu Highland Games today, saw big muscular guys throwing hammers, logs of wood and other weird things :) must admit some of them looked pretty hot while doing so hehe. 

Also watched a fair amount of highland dancing from various ages of girls, still wish I had done that when younger, mostly so I could bounce around in a kilt not any other reason hehe. Saw a gorgeous purple blue and white tartan one with amazing matching socks :) yes small things I know doffy :p

Tried haggis, didn't not like it but it didn't really seem to agree with me so might be the last lot I have, how sad lol. Tasted like sausage meat pretty much. 

Enjoyed the pipe band and drummers, more fun watching them march in and around each other like at tattoos but hey you take what you can get and they still sounded pretty great :)

We off to the top of the world tomorrow, atlst that's the plan :) should be a good drive, long but good is my estimation. 

Here are some pics from today :)

Baking is dangerous :(

Making cupcakes is not safe!! Just thought would be best if I warned you all. 

Making cupcakes tonight and it resulted in blood, my blood :( and wasn't even when I was using a sharp knife, I mean that I would expect but nope this was the cocoa tin beating me up :( so not cool. 

P.S Bridie, maybe don't read this till you already had one as there may be some lil tiny drops of bloods that got into the mix -whoops :p 

P.P.S they still taste wicked good hehe